The symbolism couldn’t have been more in your face: Princess Diana—who, like royals who have come after her, used clothing to send clear messages to the public—in her now iconic black sheep sweater, worn for the first time in the summer of 1981. The red and white wool Sheep Sweater by knitwear label Warm & Wonderful conveyed without saying a word that Diana was a different kind of royal—a black sheep amongst the family, if you will—and instantly became a piece of fashion lore. Worn the month before she married the then Prince Charles in June 1981 at a summer polo match, Diana’s prediction that she would be the “black sheep” of the family proved entirely too prescient.
This morning, Sotheby’s announced that the sweater will be offered this September in New York in its inaugural Fashion Icons auction—available at auction for the very first time. Sotheby’s Global Head of Fashion and Accessories Cynthia Houlton told Marie Claire exclusively that the piece jumpstarted the princess’ reputation as a global fashion icon.
